Exploring the Lived Experiences of Non-Traditional Adult Students in Access to Higher Education Courses and Support Services in Irish Further Education and Training Through the Lens of Habitus-Field Theory
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Authors
Jouilla-McKee, Touria
Date
2025
Type
Language
en
Subject
Alternative Title
Abstract
This research explored the experiences of mature AHE (Access to Higher Education) students within the Irish FET (Further Education and Training) context, an area that remains largely unexplored in Irish research. Despite the availability of a wide range of AHE pathways in FET, little is known about AHE cohorts.
The research questions focus on students' perspectives of their AHE experience, the support services available at the college and ETB (Education and Training Board) levels, and the role of AHE provision in aligning with national policies aimed at increasing pathways to higher education for all students. The study centred on qualitative data gathered through semi-structured interviews, focusing on students' unique lived experiences. In addition to interviews with fourteen students, four senior ETB professionals were interviewed, and online questionnaires were completed by sixteen AHE teachers from across six ETBs.
Data were analysed using Bourdieu’s concepts of field and habitus to explore the students’ journeys and the transposable habitus as they move through the programme and potentially onto higher education.
Results indicate a positive transformation in the students’ habitus and a shift in their identities, largely due to the personalised support offered primarily by teaching staff.
The students’ journeys were significantly shaped by past learning trajectories, with negative experiences continuing to affect their confidence and student identities. Agency played a key role in the habitus, as students consciously developed strategies to navigate fields during their AHE courses.
The research also found a gap in the execution of support in AHE colleges, despite the robust support structures in place within ETBs, which offer a range of specialised assistance for students. The study highlights a disconnect between these support structures and their actual use by students and addresses gaps in academic and policy research regarding the informational disadvantage faced by individuals seeking AHE pathways, who remain under-represented in Irish policy research.
Description
Citation
Jouilla-McKee, T. (2025) Exploring the Lived Experiences of Non-Traditional Adult Students in Access to Higher Education Courses and Support Services in Irish Further Education and Training Through the Lens of Habitus-Field Theory. University of Aberdeen.
Publisher
University of Aberdeen